I started the day at Anahuac with one of the alternate song singing dickcissel. I noticed for the first time that it has a blue beak like some of the oriole people which is why some classify him as a blackbird http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282255 I timed him and he kept it up for almost 10 minutes before moving to a new perch http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282247 As I was slowing for the stop sign at 124 and 1985, something plopped down to the road shoulder just in front of the car. It was a scissor-tailed flycatcher fledging from the power pole nest that forgot its mother's instructions to use its wings to fledge. The parent came down and checked and then went back up to the other chicks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282258 After a little twitching etc the chick flew off into the road edge small trees, not well but capably. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282256 The lesser black-backed gull at Rollover was the only non-laughing gull for the day. Wing feathers are in bad shape but it is growing new mantle feathers http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282349 Some tern chicks show the variation in leg color can range from all black to all orange. Here royal terns http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282355 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282356 And sandwich tern http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282358 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282357 Most of the adult eastern willets were not present on their usual fence posts and some areas had no birds. They will mainly be gone in another week or 10 days. I need to check up on a couple of chicks to see if a parent does stay with them. This chick is about to be able to fly some http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282351 Note that the heavy bill with a blue base is present in the young birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282350 And even this smaller chick. Both chicks had only one attending parent acting annoyed http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282353 Fulvous whistling ducks are scattered about in the few wet areas on Bolivar http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282345 And are one of the big footed ducks which helps them dive for food http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282348 Several magnificent frigatebirds from the ferry http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282363 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282361 the remaining wet spot at Brazoria had a female Wilson's phalarope with white starting to show on the back of the head http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282364 As well as some in winter plumage http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282365 A lingering lesser scaup looked like it was swimming but the water is no deeper than on the phalarope pictures http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282368 The horned grebe on the Freeport hurricane levee at Quintana is starting to molt http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282369 But the male ruddy ducks there are still in breeding plumage http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151282370 All and more can be browsed at http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner
